The Awesome Fest To Open Center City Philadelphia's First Ever Drive-In Movie Theater!

Submitted by Josh on Wed, 10/02/2013 - 12:51am

Philadelphia, PA – October 2nd, 2013 – This year marks the 80th anniversary of the drive-in movie theater. To celebrate this distinct slice of Americana, The Awesome Fest is proud to announce the creation of their very own drive-in, presented by Enterprise CarShare, at one of the most unique and beautiful settings that Philadelphia has to offer: Eakins Oval, which resides directly in front of the majestic Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Opening on October 18th with weekly double features through November 22nd, The Awesome Fest will transport attendees back in time on a nostalgic trip to experience the drive-in at the peak of its heyday, complete with food servers on roller skates, courtesy of the Philly Roller Girls!

In honor of the original ticket prices in 1933, The Awesome Fest and presenting sponsor Enterprise CarShare have designed a 25-cent ticket for all existing Enterprise CarShare members. Additionally, front row parking will be reserved for members arriving early. The screenings are free for anyone who arrives via foot, with a select number of vehicles provided by Enterprise CarShare available for those who choose to sign-up onsite. There’s no cost to join and you will receive $15 in driving credits upon activation. Tickets for attendees who do not have a membership are $19.33 (the year of the first drive-in) per vehicle.

“This has been a project I’ve been thinking about for a very long time," says Awesome Fest Founder / Artistic Director Josh Goldbloom. “For those who have attended a drive-in before, it’s likely an experience they haven’t forgotten. Unfortunately, drive-ins are now a dying breed, and the ones that still exist aren’t exactly local. We designed this program to bring our favorite elements of the drive-in experience to a downtown setting. I think it’s one of the most exciting projects we’ve ever produced.”

“The drive-in theater is an important, amusing, and frankly sort of adorable part of American film culture”, says Awesome Fest Film Programmer Scott Weinberg. “We hope this five-week series can recapture some of that old-school, laid-back, fan-friendly, movie-lovin’ drive-in magic.”

The Awesome Fest Drive-in is presented by Enterprise CarShare and sponsored by GPTMC in partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, the Fairmount Park Conservancy, and Philly Roller Girls.

We’re kicking this series off with two of the awesomest cinematic monsters of all time -- and arguably one of the greatest crossovers in the history of cinema... King Kong vs. Godzilla! The battle will continue off the screen and into the parking lot, as Kong and Godz take the fight to the streets of Philadelphia (you’ll have to see it to believe it). Stay tuned afterwards for Pacific Rim, Guillermo Del Toro’s big-budget blockbuster featuring giant monsters vs. massive robots, an updated throwback to the classic era of drive-in cinema monster movie classics.

Join us for Grease and this special evening of sing-alongs and open mics with a beloved musical that features one of the greatest drive-in sequences in movie history. Yes, that’s right, we’ll have microphones set up in front of the screen for anyone who wants to join in on the fun and sing along to one of the best musicals of all time. Stick around after for the original version of The Blob, the film that is playing during the aforementioned drive-in sequence in Grease! Enjoy the old-fashioned ooze and ahs(!) of the colorful monster classic that stars a young Steve McQueen. Local trivia: The Blob was shot nearby; you'll no doubt recall the now-infamous theater sequence at The Colonial Theater in Phoenixville.

Join us as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Christine, the greatest killer car movie of all time. (Our apologies to 1977's The Car.) Dress up your own automobile in a car costume and you could win a $250 cash prize. Plus both movies are actually a lot cooler than you remember. Halloween may be over, but “CARoween” has just begun.

From as far back as Tarantula and Kingdom of the Spiders, angry arachnid movies have been a staple of drive-in cinema, and these are two of our very favorites. Frank Marshall's Arachnophobia may be one of the most popular "killer spider" movies, but it's also one of the most quaintly charming and enjoyably suspenseful. Fun stuff. Although it debuted at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival, Big Ass Spider! (coming soon to a theater near you!) combines some quick wit with an old-fashioned love of nutty movies in which numerous shrieking people get devoured by a big-ass spider. We've seen it, it's a drive-in flick, and it is cool. Warning: "special" guests may be in attendance at this double feature, and they won't be human ones, either.

It’s officially the start of the holiday season and we couldn't think of a better Thanksgiving classic then the warmhearted John Hughes comedy Planes, Trains & Automobiles! Quote along with some great Steve Martin / John Candy banter! Stick around after for one of the best bad movies of all time, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. You have to see this one (with a crowd) to believe it. To further capture the holiday spirit, our always-reliable food trucks on site will be serving thanksgiving / holiday themed dishes for those who enjoy wandering around the drive-in.

Enterprise CarShare is a natural extension of the local car rental service that Enterprise Rent-A-Car pioneered more than 55 years ago. Enterprise CarShare offers a variety of clean, well-maintained vehicles at an affordable price, when and where customers need them, whether it is for an hour, a day, a weekend or longer. In 2011, Enterprise entered a major retail car-sharing market for the first time by acquiring PhillyCarShare in Philadelphia, and then, in 2012, it acquired Mint Cars On-Demand in Boston and New York City. In May 2013, Enterprise acquired the business of IGO CarSharing, the first car-sharing program in Chicago and in September 2013 launched in Washington, D.C. Today, Enterprise CarShare offers hybrid, plug-in and fuel-efficient vehicles, delivering car-sharing technology’s speed and economy nationwide to businesses, universities and government offices looking to enhance their fleet management operations along with their fiscal and social sustainability initiatives.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality.

For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit visitphilly.com or uwishunu.com , where you can build itineraries; search event calendars; see photos and videos; view interactive maps; sign up for newsletters; listen to HearPhilly, an online radio station about what to see and do in the region; book hotel reservations and more. Or, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia, at (800) 537-7676.

Note to Editors: For high-resolution photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit the photo gallery of visitphilly.com/pressroom .

ABOUT PHILADELPHIA PARKS & RECREATION:

The Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation promotes the well-being of the City, its citizens and visitors by offering beautiful natural landscapes and parks, high quality recreation centers and athletic programs, important historic resources and enriching cultural and environmental programs.

In Summer 2013, Eakins Oval, eight acres of public space at the base of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, was transformed into Philly’s new “Park on the Parkway” for the first time. Also known as the City of Philadelphia’s “New Shape of Fun,” The Oval featured a wide variety of community programming, ranging from interactive games and activities, to educational programs, to entertainment, food and beverage trucks and much more.

The Oval is an initiative of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation in partnership with the Fairmount Park Conservancy. It is made possible thanks to the support of the William Penn Foundation and City of Philadelphia.

About The Fairmount Park Conservancy:

The Fairmount Park Conservancy exists to champion the Fairmount Park system. Its mission is to work as a collaborative partner to lead and support efforts which preserve and improve Fairmount Park to enhance the quality of life and stimulate the economic development of the Greater Philadelphia Region. The Fairmount Park Conservancy fulfills its mission by leading signature capital projects and innovative programs throughout Fairmount Park; by developing and leveraging resources for the park; and by promoting the parks’ unique assets and contributions. The Fairmount Park system covers more than 10,200 acres and is considered one of the largest urban park systems in the world. It includes a network of more than 100 neighborhood parks and contains some of the region’s most famous treasures and attractions.

Formed in 2005, Philly Roller Girls is a skater-owned and volunteer operated, not-for-profit athletic organization, and is one of the first leagues in Philadelphia and the country involved in the reintroduction of the sport of roller derby. As members of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) - the governing body representing over 175 all-female leagues throughout the world, the Philly Roller Girls’ all star travel team, the Liberty Belles, have consistently ranked as one of the top 25 teams world-wide since its inception. For more information, including the complete rule set and to view footage of the latest coverage of women’s flat track roller derby visit www.wftda.com.